OutClique Magazine September 2025 by OutClique® Magazine

George Neary

Lexus Intl. Gay Polo – Lexington, KY

Fantasy Fest Key West

Key West Bear Weekend

Lexus Sport Concept Debuts At 2025 Edition Of The Quail

A Motorsports Gathering

Lexus debuted the Lexus Sport Concept before the crowd enjoying The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel, California. The progressively styled, future-focused yet truly authentic sportscar signals the way forward for Lexus design. This inspiring concept car features a wide, low-proﬁle two-door form that blends dynamic and emotional elements into a vision for a next-generation sports car.

Leadership Team

Connie Evans (Chief Copy Editor / Mother of the Publisher)

Sach Advertising Group (Senior Director of Graphic Design & Information Technology)

Megan Fitzgerald, PhD (Associate Editor, Senior Writer; Associate Professor, Nova Southeastern University, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences)

Chandler Scott (Director of Social Media, Writer)

Nicole Ackerman, MA (Sr. Sales Response)

Writers

Tony Adams

Charles Baran

John M. Hayden (Senior South Florida News Journalist)

Denny Patterson (Senior Lifestyle Writer)

Rev. Dr. Bishop Durrell Watkins (Senior Minister, SunShine Cathedral)

Savannah Whaley (Senior Writer)

Distribution

Jason Eakin

Photography & Editorial Consultant

Stephen Lang (Director)

Brand Ambassadors

Joe Akin

Doug Ames

Charles Baran

Arnie Cuarenta

Clayton de Oliveira

Luka Gotsiridze

Raﬁ Maldonado

Jorge Perez

Richard Rodríguez-Pérez

Legal Oversight

Richter Trademarks, T.L. Trantalis & Associates

National Advertising

Rivendell Media

Fort Lauderdale Moves Ahead with Plans for New City Hall, YMCA

New City Hall

With the year progressing quickly, the City Commission is moving ahead with plans to build a new City Hall, replacing the 1960s-era building that was destroyed during the record-breaking rainstorm in April 2023. We are now undertaking a two-pronged approach to design and build the project in the most efﬁcient way possible.

The new City Hall is expected to be located on the site of the old building on North Andrews Avenue downtown. It will be larger, at 350,000 square feet, so the city no longer must rent additional ofﬁce space. Our needs had long ago outgrown the old City Hall, necessitating many agencies to locate to nearby rented space. The new City Hall will house some 800 employees and will offer centralized services, adding to the efﬁciency and effectiveness of our operations.

Demolition of the old building was completed a year ago. We’ve also ﬁnished the ﬁrst phase of planning through a series of community meetings asking residents what they’d like to see in a new City Hall.

The two-pronged approach now underway involves pursuing a traditional design and construction approach while also soliciting proposals from companies interested in doing the work through a public-private partnership. The city has had great success with P3s, having used this new approach to expedite projects such as the creation of Inter Miami’s campus and stadium at Lockhart Park, the creation of The Fort pickleball center, and the ongoing construction of a new, state-of-the-art water treatment plant.

The commission plans to review all P3 proposals this fall. At that point, we likely will choose which direction to move in. Personally, I want the new City Hall to be iconic, contributing to the renaissance of our downtown and making a statement about the future of our growing community. I look forward to ﬁnishing our discussions and getting construction started as soon as possible.

Downtown YMCA

This week, the city gave ﬁnal approval for an exciting new development in Holiday Park, the construction of a downtown YMCA. This ﬁlls a void in sports and wellness facilities downtown that has lasted some 20 years in the area. This is great news on its own, but Broward Health has joined the partnership and will co-locate an emergency medical center.

The 60,000-square-foot complex will be located in the northwest corner of the park along Federal Highway and is expected to open in 2027. The YMCA plans to build a two-story community facility along with a sixlane swimming pool. To assist in the project, the city is contributing $2 million in parks bond money toward the pool’s construction.

Once built, the YMCA facility would serve more than 25,000 children and families, offering swim lessons, aquatic exercise programs for all ages and water therapy programs. As part of the lease agreement with the city, Fort Lauderdale residents will receive a 10% discount on all YMCA membership categories for the full 50-year term of the lease.

Broward Health’s emergency medical center would have up to 12 exam treatment areas staffed by certiﬁed emergency physicians. The hospital system will also run health and wellness programs within the YMCA. The hospital system decided to join in the project because the largest complaint it receives is about long waits in its emergency rooms. In addition to emergency needs, patients will be able to get their lab work and imaging done at the new center, including CT scans and X-rays.

Content Courtesy of Mayor Dean Trantalis | Photo by Dennis Dean, Courtesy of Office

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment. (bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without ﬁrst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ﬁght infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

Open-Air Opulence

The 2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

The 2026 LC 500 Convertible receives minor updates for this model year with changes including the addition of a new Inspiration Series model limited to 350 units for the North American market. The package comes with the new-to-LC color, Wind, paired with Saddle Tan and White semi-aniline leather seats, along with blacked-out exterior elements and unique center console badging.

The LC 500 Convertible joined the Lexus lineup in 2020, bringing an innovative soft-top design to the ﬂagship sports coupe. Built at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, Japan, the 2026 LC 500 Convertible has a starting MSRP of $109,200 (including Delivery, Processing and Handling) and is expected to go on sale in Fall 2025.

Count on Us

Your Questions Answered

Latinos Salud’s healthcare providers answer some of the community’s most pressing concerns. This month, Latinos Salud’s provider in its Wilton Manors location, Guillermo Navarro, APRN, describes how a holistic approach by a gay healthcare provider often opens up new opportunities for your overall well-being.

OutClique: Whether people come to Latinos Salud to start on PrEP, get treated for HIV, or get screened for STDs, do you think it makes a difference that they know they are speaking with a gay healthcare provider?

Navarro, APRN: Absolutely. Many of our patients feel an immediate sense of comfort knowing they’re speaking with someone who genuinely understands their community and lived experiences. I can relate to why they’re here in a very real way because I’ve lived some of those same realities, faced similar challenges, and navigated the same healthcare spaces myself.

That shared background means they don’t have to spend time explaining their identity, lifestyle, or relationships. We’re already speaking the same “language,” both culturally and medically. I often notice a visible shift in their body language; they begin to relax as soon as they realize I’m one of them. That very connection builds trust quickly, and it’s that trust that allows us to

www.LatinosSalud.org

address their health concerns more openly, effectively, and without judgment.

OutClique: Latinos Salud has a great reputation for making it easy to get started on PrEP, the pill or injection that prevents HIV. Can patients ask you about other health concerns as well?

Navarro, APRN: Of course! And we’re glad that most patients do feel safe to ask anything that concerns them. While PrEP is often the reason someone ﬁrst walks through our doors, our approach is very holistic. We know that sexual health is connected to overall health, so we encourage patients to bring up anything on their mind whether it’s mental health concerns, vaccines, hormone therapy, nutrition, STI prevention, or even how to navigate the healthcare system.

Sometimes a conversation about starting PrEP opens the door to addressing chronic conditions, mental well-being,

or preventive care they’ve been putting off. We want every visit to feel like a safe space to talk about the full picture of their health, not just one prescription.

OutClique: What are the most frequent non-PrEP-related concerns raised by PrEP patients?

Navarro, APRN: Beyond HIV prevention, we frequently discuss mental health—addressing stress, anxiety, depression, or the emotional impact of relationships. Some patients bring up concerns about erectile dysfunction, changes in libido, or discomfort from anal ﬁssures, which they may have been too embarrassed to mention elsewhere.

Because they feel comfortable in our clinic, patients sometimes ask for relationship advice, whether it’s about navigating open relationships, rebuilding trust after an STI, or improving communication with their partner or sexual contacts.

The beauty of these conversations is that PrEP becomes the entry point to a safe, judgment-free space where patients can discuss deeply personal concerns. This not only helps address their immediate needs but also supports their longterm physical, emotional, and sexual health.

OutClique: During their initial PrEP visit, have any of your patients learned that they had other serious health issues that they did not know about, or issues that had been diagnosed, but that they did not know how to manage?

Navarro, APRN: Yes, and it’s often one of the most eye-opening parts of my job. During the initial PrEP

process, we run lab tests to make sure it’s safe to start treatment, and sometimes those results reveal underlying health issues like high blood sugar, high blood pressure, hepatitis, or even advanced STIs that hadn’t shown obvious symptoms.

I’ve also had patients who had been told before that they had a condition but didn’t really understand what it meant or how to manage it. Those moments are powerful because they give us a chance to slow down, explain things in plain language, and create a plan together. We also connect them with specialists or resources so they don’t have to ﬁgure it out alone. Sometimes, that PrEP visit ends up being the turning point for their overall health.

OutClique: How would you describe your goal with each patient who comes to you?

Navarro, APRN: My goal is to create a safe, supportive environment where every patient feels heard, respected, and empowered to take charge of their health. That starts with meeting them where they are, no judgment, no assumptions. I want to make sure they fully understand their options, whether it’s for HIV prevention, treatment, or other health concerns, and that they leave our visit with clear next steps they feel conﬁdent about.

At the end of the day, I’m not just treating a lab result or writing a prescription; I’m building a relationship that can support them through different stages of their health journey. My hope is that they walk away knowing they have a partner in their care, someone they can come back to whenever they need advice, guidance or support.

A COOL SPLASH OF SUMMER

Dr. Ferdinand Cabrera Talks Summer Savings at Genesis Health Institute

South Florida’s heat isn’t the only thing sizzling this September. At Genesis Health Institute, the hottest deals of the year are making waves—offering patients a chance to refresh, restore, and reveal their most radiant selves. From wrinkle-smoothing favorites to nextlevel body sculpting, the Sizzling Hot Summer Sale is a limited-time opportunity to invest in your beauty and save big while doing it.

Baxter Martin: Dr. Cabrera, let’s talk about beauty and savings. What’s happening at Genesis Health Institute this September?

Dr. Cabrera: It’s our biggest aesthetic promotion of the year! We call it the Sizzling Hot Summer Sale, and it’s designed to help our patients feel refreshed, confident, and beautiful as we transition into fall. Through September 30th, we’re offering up to 35% off our most popular aesthetic treatments and skincare products.

Baxter Martin: That’s a serious discount. What’s included?

Dr. Cabrera: Almost everything. We’ve included wrinkle reducers like Botox and Dysport, dermal fillers like Juvéderm and Sculptra, PRP aesthetic treatments, laser resurfacing with HALO and BBL, body contouring treatments like SculpSure and Accufit, and even our premium skincare lines from SkinCeuticals and Elta MD. It’s an incredible opportunity to create a custom beauty plan with real savings.

Baxter Martin: How does the discount scale work?

Dr. Cabrera: The more you do, the more you save. If your beauty plan totals $999 or more, you save 20%. Spend $1,999 and save 25%. At $2,999, you’re saving 30%. And if you spend $3,999 or more, you unlock the full 35% off. It’s perfect for bundling treatments or planning a full transformation over several visits.

Baxter Martin: What do clients need to know to take advantage of this?

Dr. Cabrera: Schedule now! The offer runs through September 30, and your first treatment must begin by that date. A $500 deposit holds your appointment, and the full balance is due by your first visit. This is your chance to step into fall feeling more beautiful, confident, and rejuvenated than ever.

Don’t let the summer fade without doing something beautiful for yourself. Whether you’ve been thinking about starting your aesthetic journey or you’re ready for your next chapter in self-care, Genesis Health Institute is here to make it more rewarding than ever. Let’s build your personalized beauty plan—and save up to 35% while we’re at it.

• P-Shot: Improves erectile function and overall sexual performance.

• GenWave: Increases sensitivity and pleasure.

• Peptides: Enhances sexual desire and stamina.

• Oxytocin: Heightens orgasm and overall sexual satisfaction. Experience the benefits of our treatment packages and take control of your sexual health and happiness.

Package 1. Best Value Improve Function. Increase Desire. Intensify Climax.

• P-Shot

• GenWave (six treatments)

• NEO40

• PT-141 Peptide

• Oxytocin

Package 2. Advanced Restoration

Improve Function. Increase Desire. Intensify Climax.

• NEO40 Limited

$1,000 OFF all sexual enhancement packages

Package 3. Most Affordable Improve Function.

• P-Shot

• GenWave (six treatments)

Boost Body’s Growth Factors.

• P-Shot

• GenWave (nine treatments)

• NEO40

• PT-141 Peptide

• Oxytocin

• Ascellos Additive

• Free STD Screening & Treatment

• HIV Testing & Linkage to HIV care

• PrEP Services

The Surprising Health Beneﬁts of Quality Sleep

Getting good sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night for optimal health. But it’s not just about how long you sleep, it’s also about how well you sleep.

Why This Matters

We often hear about how important sleep is, and it’s true. Good sleep helps your body heal, keeps your mind sharp, and even supports your heart. Sleep Foundation states it is essential for nearly every system in the body.

● Physical recovery: During deep sleep, your body repairs tissues, builds muscle, and strengthens the immune system.

● Cognitive function: Sleep helps consolidate memories, improve focus, and support decisionmaking.

● Emotional regulation: Lack of sleep is linked to increased irritability, anxiety, and depression.

● Heart health: Poor sleep is associated with high blood pressure, inﬂammation, and a greater risk of heart disease.

● Metabolic health: Inadequate sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger, increasing the risk of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.

“Good sleep is more than just rest—it’s essential for longterm health. Poor sleep has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, depression, and even a weakened immune system. Prioritizing quality sleep supports both your body and your mind,” says Shari Klinger, MD, primary care physician.

How to Improve Your Sleep Quality

Improving your sleep doesn’t always require drastic changes. Here are some evidence-based strategies to help you sleep better:

● Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and improves sleep consistency.

● Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Wind down with calming activities like reading, gentle stretching, or listening to soft music. Avoid screens at least an hour before bed, as blue light can interfere with melatonin production.

● Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Consider blackout curtains, white noise machines, or a fan to create a more restful atmosphere.

● Watch What You Consume: Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals close to bedtime. These can disrupt your ability to fall and stay asleep.

● Limit Screen Time: Exposure to phones, tablets, and TVs before bed can delay sleep onset. Try switching to a book or journaling instead.

● Manage Stress: Incorporate stress-reducing practices like meditation, deep breathing, or mindfulness during the day to help calm your mind at night.

If you’re living with a chronic condition, Care Resource offers comprehensive screenings through Primary Care. Our providers are here to help you explore whether your sleep patterns may be affecting your overall health.

Menspro PLUS™: Revolutionizing the future of male sexual wellness

illustrates The Florida Men’s Clinic’s commitment to addressing a wide range of sexual health concerns, ensuring that men have access to the most effective solutions available.

Elevating Sexual Wellness with Advanced Treatments

The efficacy of neuromodulator treatments extends well beyond cosmetic applications. These advanced solutions are gaining traction in the medical community for their role in managing urinary incontinence and improving bladder control. By dampening excessive nerve signals to muscles, these treatments provide a refreshing approach to tackling some of the most pressing challenges in male sexual health. Although regulatory bodies have yet to endorse them specifically for urological conditions, the potential benefits for sexual vitality are becoming increasingly evident.

How Does It Work?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a concern that many men face, often leading to feelings of frustration and diminished confidence. Menspro PLUS™ offers hope by utilizing neuromodulators to facilitate the relaxation of penile vascular muscles. This relaxation improves blood flow and enhances the strength of erections, allowing men to regain their sexual vitality. Research has shown that a significant percentage of men who have tried these treatments report marked improvements in both their ability to sustain erections and the quality of their sexual experiences.

“Many of our patients have expressed how transformative these treatments have been for their lives,” says Dr. Hugh Smith, a leading urologist for Menspro certified clinics. “It’s not just about aesthetics anymore; it’s about restoring confidence and improving overall quality of life.”

Innovative Solutions for Hard Flaccid Syndrome

For those navigating the complexities of hard flaccid syndrome—where erections are less firm and more flexible– Menspro PLUS™ presents a promising alternative. This advanced treatment targets the penile vasculature’s smooth muscles, effectively enhancing blood flow and alleviating the symptoms associated with this condition. By facilitating a healthier erectile response, individuals can experience a newfound sense of freedom and intimacy.

Targeting Penis Shrinkage Effectively

Penis shrinkage, often a result of involuntary muscle contractions, is another concern that can be addressed with neuromodulator treatments. By relaxing these muscles, patients can achieve a more natural and visually appealing appearance, which can significantly boost self-esteem and sexual confidence. This innovative approach

Pioneering Sexual Health and Wellness

The exploration of advanced neuromodulator applications marks a significant leap forward in the treatment of sexual health issues. While awaiting further regulatory endorsements for specific urological uses, the evidence supporting their effectiveness in enhancing sexual function is promising.

At The Florida Men’s Clinic, we are dedicated to leading the charge in this field, providing our patients with the information and treatments they need to reclaim their sexual health.

As awareness of these advancements grows, it’s clear that the future of male sexual wellness is bright. The combination of cuttingedge science and compassionate care at The Florida Men’s Clinic ensures that men can explore their options with confidence. Whether it’s through Menspro PLUS™, Menspro MAX™, or other innovative treatments, a new era of sexual vitality is within reach. As we continue to break down the barriers surrounding male sexual health, the introduction of advanced neuromodulator treatments like Menspro PLUS™ represents a pivotal moment in the journey toward improved sexual function and wellness. It’s a reminder that every man deserves to feel empowered, confident, and fulfilled in every aspect of his life.

Let’s be real — talking about erectile dysfunction (ED) isn’t easy. But at Florida Men’s Clinic, we believe every man deserves a fulfilling sex life — and that starts with open conversation and real solutions.

Meet Menspro Plus™

This cutting-edge treatment uses neuromodulators to relax the vascular muscles in the penis, increasing blood flow and helping you achieve stronger, longer-lasting erections. It’s a safe, effective way to restore confidence and improve performance.

What you can expect?

• Firmer, longer-lasting erections

• Increased blood flow to combat Hard Flaccid Syndrome

• Support for reversing penile shrinkage

• A boost in sexual confidence –in and out of the bedroom

Call Florida Men’s Clinic today and take the first step toward feeling like yourself again — powerful, confident, and ready.

CAN Community Health Launches

Same-Day Injectable PrEP Model to Improve HIV Prevention Outcomes

In a major step toward HIV prevention, CAN Community Health, the nation’s leading resource in ending epidemics, launched an innovative same-day injectable PrEP (PreExposure Prophylaxis) model, revolutionizing access to HIV prevention by offering long-acting injectable medication on the same day of initiation consultation.

“This innovative program significantly reduces the barriers to HIV prevention by streamlining the process from consultation to administration,” said Marlon Pittman, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at CAN Community Health. “With this new model, eligible patients can receive their first dose of injectable PrEP on the same day they walk into a CAN Clinic, enhancing both access and adherence in high-risk populations.”

Injectable PrEP provides a discreet, long-acting alternative to daily pills and has proven especially beneﬁcial for individuals who face challenges with daily medication adherence. CAN Community Health implemented the Test And Inject: Rapid Protect initiative to remove delays related to lab processing, insurance navigation, and pharmacy fulﬁllment—offering a patientcentered, equity-driven solution to HIV prevention.

“We [CAN] are committed to eliminating health disparities and closing the gap in HIV prevention,” said Rishi Patel,

PharmD, MBA, President and CEO at CAN Community Health. “By launching our same-day injectable PrEP model, we are accelerating our mission to end the HIV epidemic and empowering individuals to take immediate, proactive steps to protect their health.”

The program is now available nationwide at CAN Community Health locations across Arizona, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Current patients can contact their clinic to make an appointment with their Provider. New patients can call (844) 9222777 or chat with a representative online through the website.

About CAN Community Health

CAN Community Health is the nation’s premier resource in ending epidemics with a mission of empowering wellness. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, CAN Community Health manages clinics across several states: Arizona, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Since 1991, CAN Community Health has delivered high-quality care to those affected by HIV, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases through outreach, integrated clinical practice, advocacy, education, and research. For more information about CAN Community Health and its services, please visit www.CANCommunityHealth.org.

MODUS VIVENDI

Launches Sunshine Line and the “Bright Side” Campaign – A Fresh Serve of Style and Sustainability. MODUS VIVENDI presents the Sunshine Line, a standout addition to the Upcycling Collection, where vibrant design meets responsible fashion. Made for those who value comfort and conscience, this line is

George T. Neary Continues His Landmark Service

By Savannah Whaley

After retiring from his pivotal role helping spearhead Miami’s resurgence as the associate vice president of cultural tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau from 1998 - 2018, George T. Neary has returned to the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) where he ﬁrst walked through the door as a volunteer 34 years ago.

In the following years between 1991 - 1998, Neary served as MDPL’s executive director pioneering the preservation and marketing of the Art Deco District. The energetic and untiring Neary took up that post again in April on an interim basis as the nonproﬁt brings a new leader onboard.

Few people know more about Miami’s history or have done more to create its present as a world-class destination. When Neary arrived in 1991, Miami Beach had seen its fortunes come in and out with the tide.

“Our unusual art deco architecture has captured the world over and over again,” Neary explained. “It was built from ‘29 to ’42 and it was the vacation center of America. Then, Miami Beach had the largest concentration of sleeping quarters [for training] in World War II and the men and women came back to make it the honeymoon capital. Things started to change. Jumbo jet airliners meant that you could ﬂy anyplace. You could easily go from Miami Beach to Cuba. Then Cuba changed so there was no more gambling and Las Vegas was developed. Little by little, Miami Beach began to decline.”

That was the scene when Neary arrived from New York City but he saw the potential.

“A friend of mine had bought a historic building on South Beach by Lawrence Murray Dixon, one of the famous architects, and wanted someone to manage it and asked me to come down and try it out,” Neary recalled. “We had come to a few New Year's Eves at Miami Beach and it was just amazing. I could feel the bubbling, that something was happening here.”

MDPL’s founder Barbara Baer Capitman had passed away the previous year and Neary became the perfect cheerleader to save this historic district with the largest collection of art deco architecture in the world.

“We had commissioners who lived here their whole lives that walked by these dilapidated buildings and thought they were just junk,” Neary marveled. “I had fourth graders tour the district and paint the buildings in watercolor. They came to the commission meeting and showed their paintings. The commissioners would say, ‘Oh, that’s the Breakwater.’ Then they saw a painting of a high rise and nobody knew where it was. They were shocked at how much they learned from those fourth graders of what they took for granted.”

Neary believed that a vibrant historical district could be an economic engine for Miami Beach.

“When I was here, this was ‘91 to ’98, they had not built

Photo courtesy of Nancy Leibman

Photo courtesy of George T Neary

a new hotel in over 30 years,” Neary said as he recalled a dilapidated and forgotten Miami Beach. “Lowe’s Hotel was the ﬁrst convention center hotel, some distance from the actual convention center, but it served a purpose to show the world that you could invest in Miami Beach and it was safe.”

Neary’s marketing efforts led to the Society of American Travel Writers to bestow its Phoenix Award to MDPL in 1996 for reviving tourism in Miami Beach through the use of historic preservation. As a founding board member of the Greater Miami Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor's LGBT Business Enhancement Committee, and Miami Beach Pride Committee, he points to one important tourism sector for that success.

“Now the underground, if you want to call the gay and lesbian movement, is what really brought Miami Beach back,” Neary stated. “It was the gay clubs like Warsaw, Torpedo and a number of other clubs in Miami Beach that became world famous. Suddenly gays and lesbians began to come here and look around and say, ‘Look at these stained glass windows, look at these friezes and the tile work and terrazzo ﬂoors.’ Gays and lesbians are the ones that have the vision to make sure things weren't destroyed and demolished understanding it is better to have these buildings than another high rise.”

Tourists weren’t the only ones taking notice as celebrities including Madonna and Prince began to ﬂock here and bring international media attention with them. The sites of their exploits and those of others are among the highlights of the South Beach Scandals tour, which joins the Gay and Lesbian Walking Tour as two of the many popular tours MDPL offers.

Neary is once again ﬁghting to save the architecture as

state law has preempted local zoning laws pushing the danger level to the district all the way up to 10.

“It’s very difﬁcult,” Neary acknowledged. “We're meeting with people right now who are in the process of developing plans to destroy and knock down a historic area and create a high rise right on the ocean. One of the things we're fortunate in America is that we have volunteerism and we have community activism. A lot of countries do not have that. Luckily, it's a part of our DNA.”

Neary retains his optimism for the future. For one, he’s building a new life and celebrating his one year anniversary with his husband, Alberto Sanchez. He also is enthusiastic about new opportunities offered by MDPL.

“The 49th Art Deco Weekend is coming up January 9-11,” Neary previewed. “Working with the City we’ve created an outdoor gallery called the Galleria at 12th Street and Ocean Drive. There are 34 museum quality panels that showcase the 100th anniversary of art deco in the United States and beyond. We also put a beautiful art deco swing there for people to take their Instagram moments. So, something old is new again and it's so exciting to walk by and see hundreds of tourists reading the panels.”

Noting Miami Beach has changed one million percent since his arrival, Neary will continue to work to make sure the vibrant scene continues to thrive.

“So many people come up and say, ‘What can I do? What can I do?’ They're horriﬁed at the prospect of losing this world famous district,” Neary said. “We're going to get more aggressive about inviting people to become members because as the saying goes, there’s safety in numbers.”

Photos courtesy of Nancy Leibman

Crime Waves Ahead

Virgin Voyages Makes True Crime a Destination

Calling all amateur sleuths and podcast junkies. Virgin Voyages is setting sail on an unforgettable adventure. Setting sail Oct. 10, 2025, Travel + Leisure's No. 1 megaship ocean cruise line is debuting its ﬁrst-ever True Crime Voyage, a groundbreaking cultural experience that taps into one of today's most compelling storytelling phenomena. This ﬁve-night Caribbean sailing promises a haunting experience on the high seas, blending the spine-tingling intrigue and cultural resonance of true crime storytelling with the elevated, kid-free experiences Virgin Voyages has perfected, giving "chilling on-board" a whole new meaning.

Evolving far beyond standard entertainment, true crime has become a cultural force that connects millions through shared fascination with justice, human psychology and

the search for truth. From water cooler conversations to social media deep-dives, true crime storytelling has created communities of engaged listeners who crave authentic and gripping narratives. Virgin Voyages recognizes this cultural moment and is pioneering its own take on an immersive true crime experience at sea.

In an electrifying partnership with iHeartPodcasts and its cult-favorite podcasts – including Betrayal, Buried Bones and Stuff They Don't Want You to Know – Virgin Voyages is transforming its Dominican Daze itinerary into a thrilling, Halloween-season escape aboard Valiant Lady. Departing from Miami, this specialty ﬁve-day voyage brings gripping tales and curated content to the high seas with a gorgeous splash of sunshine and unforgettable experiences.

Fly, Ride, Explore: Jetblue and Brightline Launch Partnership Offering More Travel Connections Across Florida

JetBlue and Brightline, America’s ﬁrst and only privately owned, operated, and maintained passenger rail system, have formed a new partnership that offers customers a seamless air-and-rail booking experience for travel across Central and South Florida. Now, JetBlue customers can book Brightline tickets directly on jetblue.com as part of a combined itinerary providing even more options to get to and from cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando.

“As we continue to grow in Florida and offer more ﬂights to and from cities like Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, our partnership with Brightline helps us deliver even more value and convenience to our customers,” said Dave Jehn, vice president, network planning and airline partnerships, JetBlue. “JetBlue and Brightline share a commitment to innovation and great service, and together we’re expanding transportation options for all of our customers to get to where they want to go, whether they're starting their journey, heading to their ﬁnal destination, or adjusting plans along the way.”

Brightline provides easy connections between JetBlue ﬂights and stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The Orlando station, located at Orlando International Airport, allows for effortless transfers between air and rail. In South

Florida, Brightline offers shuttle service between airports and nearby stations, included in the JetBlue air-and-rail booking for added convenience. When booking JetBlue’s Mint® or core experience, customers can be matched with Brightline’s available Premium or Smart fare classes, respectively.

“We are proud to partner with JetBlue to enhance connectivity throughout Florida,” said Barbara Drahl, senior vice president of marketing and commercial strategy at Brightline. “This partnership enables travelers to book a single ticket for both air and rail, offering a fast, reliable, and eco-friendly rail transportation option while seamlessly connecting to JetBlue’s extensive network.”

JetBlue customers with air-and-rail itineraries can take advantage of Brightline’s comfortable and reliable train service, which includes high-speed connectivity, spacious seating, a premium onboard experience, and direct access to beloved destinations across Central and South Florida.

In addition to expanding travel options for new bookings, this agreement also enables JetBlue to offer alternative itineraries that incorporate Brightline rail segments during periods of irregular Florida operations, providing more ﬂexibility for customers and enhancing recovery options when travel doesn’t go as planned.

Sundial Beach Resort & Spa Set to Make Waves

Post-Hurricane Ian, Resort Reopens with Fresh Amenities and Sanibel charm

By Megan Fitzgerald

Becky Miller stood in the parking lot of the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, stunned by the devastation. The pool deck was gone. The tiki bar had vanished. Mattresses, coolers and linens were strewn across the mangled property. Golf carts had been tossed into the mangroves.

“It looked like it had rained debris,” said Miller, the resort’s general manager. “There were housekeeping gloves and bicycles pulled underneath the building or out in the water. It was overwhelming. I remember just standing there thinking, ‘Where do you even start with this?’”

My Then her chief engineer offered a simple answer: “Just pick up one thing.”

When Hurricane Ian, with winds topping 130 mph, slammed ashore on Sept. 28, 2022, Sanibel residents and business owners couldn’t have predicted the devastating—and long-lasting—impacts of the Category 4 storm. In addition to ﬁerce winds, Ian brought a catastrophic storm surge of 12 to 18 feet.

Nearly three years later, many beloved island spots— Grandma Dot’s, Lighthouse Café, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille—have reopened. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and Billy’s Rentals are also back in business. Condo renovations continue from the east side to the west side of the island.

And the lush landscaping is showing signs of life.

Among the island landmarks making a comeback is the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, one of Sanibel’s largest and most beloved destinations. After more than two years of cleanup, reconstruction and resilience, the beachfront resort is open and ready to welcome guests—whether for a weeklong stay or a sun-soaked daycation.

For South Florida travelers in search of a stress-free island escape, Sundial offers a perfect getaway. Located just a few hours from Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the beachfront resort is ideal for singles, couples, families and groups—whether for a romantic weekend, a family reunion or even a beachfront wedding.

“We’re open for business,” Miller said. “And we need visitors. We need tourism.”

Following a two-and-a-half-year closure due to hurricane damage, the resort has undergone a full transformation.

“Everything is brand spanking new through the whole resort,” Miller said. “The owners said, ‘While we’re closed, we’re going to gut and go.’”

That investment has resulted in a completely renovated property, including updated restaurants, guest rooms,

banquet facilities and public spaces. Over 140 condostyle units—ranging from studio to three-bedroom accommodations with full kitchens—are currently available, with more reopening each month. While work continues on the resort’s beachfront units, most common areas and amenities are fully operational.

Sundial offers ﬁve heated pools, direct beach access, and a wide range of complimentary amenities for guests, including bicycles, kayaks, paddleboards and daily activities for children and adults.

“We have ping-pong, foosball, hammocks, giant Connect Four and arts and crafts,” Miller said. “We do tie-dye on Saturdays, and bingo is a big hit in the afternoons.”

Dining options include Turtle’s Pool & Beach Bar, Slice of Paradice pizza and ice cream shop, and the newly renovated Captain’s Catch seafood restaurant. Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is also open ﬁve days a week and continues to be a guest favorite.

“Whether you’re staying overnight or coming in just for the day, we want people to know they can still come enjoy the beach, the pool, the food—all of it,” Miller said.

As the third anniversary of Hurricane Ian approaches, the team at Sundial is focused not only on completing renovations, but on helping restore Sanibel’s tourism economy and community spirit.

“It’s meaningful and special because we’re open for business, and we are trying to get off the ground,” Miller said. “We are trying to make the island successful.”

While the island continues to rebuild, Miller emphasized that the Sanibel experience remains unchanged.

“There’s nothing different about Sanibel,” she said. “I think people need to realize that—especially people who love this island. It’s still exactly the same. Come and enjoy. We’re here to embrace your families and your friends and all the things you love to do.”

That sense of hospitality extends to every part of the Sundial experience. With major resort amenities now open, seasonal programming returning, and new offerings—including the Dash Away holiday deal, girls’ getaway packages and the Sand and Sea, a two-night stay and half-day boat rental—staff are eager to welcome back new and returning guests.

“We have plenty of staff to take good care of you,” Miller said. “And we need that tourism to keep all these team members working here, so we can keep the island growing.”

For travelers daydreaming about hammocks strung over white-sand beaches, laid-back island charm, and sunsoaked outdoor adventures, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa is just a short drive from Fort Lauderdale—but feels worlds away.

Author: Megan Fitzgerald, PhD, Associate Professor

R House Wynwood Serves Up More Reasons to Brunch and Dine This Fall

R House Wynwood has long been known for its weekendonly Drag Brunch, a glittering mashup of high-energy drag performances, bottomless cocktails, and Latin-fusion plates. Now, the Wynwood hotspot is giving food lovers even more reasons to visit with bold new Miami Spice 2025 menus available through September 30. Chef Rocco Carulli’s specially curated prix ﬁxe brunch and dinner offerings showcase the restaurant’s culinary creativity, while the famous Saturday and Sunday Drag Brunch continues to deliver the show-stopping entertainment that made R House a Miami institution.

For Miami Spice, Carulli has designed menus that highlight the restaurant’s playful approach to food. “We’ve always been proud to be more than just a show — R House is a culinary destination in its own right,” says Chef Rocco Carulli. “For Miami Spice this year, we wanted to push ourselves creatively while also offering tremendous value. We’re giving Wynwood and the wider Miami dining scene something truly unique — a menu that’s as bold and joyful as the neighborhood itself.”

The Miami Spice brunch menu, offered Wednesday through Sunday for $35 per person, begins with a welcome Hornitos Reposado Margarita and a fresh kale and chickpea salad starter. Guests can then choose from mains such as cayenne fried chicken, grilled chicken sliders with chimichurri, avocado toast with tajín, or strawberry French toast with dulce de leche. Two vegan options are also available, and the

restaurant’s famed bottomless drinks package may be added for $25.

Dinner brings two distinctive options. The $45 three-course menu features starters like loaded guacamole, entrées including prime New York strip or grilled aji panca octopus, and desserts such as mango tres leches or an espresso martini served in a caramel corn basket. For a more playful night out, R House introduces the $60 “Party Option” — two courses plus bottomless margaritas or mojitos, a ﬁrst-of-itskind Miami Spice experience.

“No other Miami Spice experience gives you bottomless handcrafted cocktails as part of the prix ﬁxe,” adds Chef Rocco. “It’s fun, it’s indulgent, and it reﬂects who we are at R House — bold, inclusive, and always ready to surprise and delight.”

While the Miami Spice menus take center stage through September 30, 2025, R House’s Drag Brunch remains a must on the weekend calendar. With dazzling performances, ﬂowing cocktails, and a packed dining room, it continues to embody the vibrant spirit of Wynwood. Together, the Miami Spice dining options and the legendary Drag Brunch ensure there are more reasons than ever to book a table this fall.

Reservations are highly recommended and can be made at rhousewynwood.com. Follow @rhousewynwood on Instagram for lineup reveals, behind-the-scenes exclusives, and ticket drops.

From Eye-Rolls to Eye-Contact

Five Gay Pick-Up Lines That Just Might Work

By Chandler Scott

Let’s face it, dating apps have taken a lot of the sparkle out of ﬂirting. We swipe, we match, we exchange three half-hearted messages, and then someone ghosts harder than a bottom when you ask them to split the check. But in the wild, whether it’s the bar, the beach, or even the frozen food aisle at Publix, there’s still magic in an oldfashioned pick-up line. Sure, they’re corny. Sure, they sometimes ﬂop. But honey, sometimes it’s not about the line, it’s about the delivery.

Here are ﬁve of my favorite campy, ﬂirty openers that just might score you a date, a number, or at the very least, a story to laugh about with your friends the next day.

1. “Are you a top or a bottom? …of this cocktail menu, because I need a recommendation.”

This is for when you’re feeling bold. It’s playful, suggestive, and guaranteed to get at least a smirk. Worst-case scenario, they’ll recommend a drink. Best-case scenario? Well, let’s just say you might skip the drink and head straight to dessert.

2. “Do you believe in love at ﬁrst sight, or should I sashay by again in these tight jeans?”

This one’s not just a line, it’s a moment. You’ve got to commit to the bit: serve a little walk, throw in a hair ﬂip, maybe even a dramatic pause. If they don’t notice the ﬁrst time, strut by again. If they still don’t notice, congratulations, you just turned rejection into cardio.

3. “Are you Wi-Fi? Because baby, I am feeling a strong connection.”

Perfect for when you want to be silly but sweet. It’s geeky, it’s goofy, and it gets the point across without being too forward. And, hey, in a world where we all panic over one bar of signal, ﬁnding someone who makes you feel “fully connected” is worth celebrating.

4. “Do you have a map? Because I just got lost in those gorgeous eyes… and also I’m terrible with directions.”

Old-school? Yes. Overused? Maybe. But delivered with a wink and a little campy dramatics, this line is pure romcom gold. Bonus points if you dramatically pull out your phone and pretend to check Google Maps while gazing into their eyes.

5. “Are you into astrology? Because I think we’re about to have a star-crossed hookup.”

Astrology gays, this one’s for you. If they know their moon sign, prepare for a full compatibility breakdown before you even get their number. And if they don’t? You’ve just set yourself up for a fun conversation starter. Either way, you’ve planted the seed that the stars, and maybe the sheets, have aligned.

Now, are these lines guaranteed to get you a date? Absolutely not. But that’s the fun of them. Pick-up lines are campy, over-the-top, and not meant to be taken too seriously. The real trick is conﬁdence. If you can deliver a corny one-liner with a smile, a wink, and just enough sass, you’ve already set yourself apart from the guy standing silently at the bar scrolling through Scruff or Grindr.

So, next time you’re out, skip the boring “hey” or “sup” and try one of these lines. In the best-case scenario, you end up with a date. Worst-case scenario, you get a laugh, a story, and maybe even a free drink. Either way, that’s what I call a win-win.

Photo Courtesy of Dreamstime.com

Horror Filmmaker Erynn Dalton is on a Killer Streak

By Savannah Whaley

As a child of the ‘80s, film and stage director Erynn Dalton became fascinated by horror watching slasher films featuring Jason, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger. The iconic horror movie exclamation “It’s alive!” could easily describe her red-hot career as one award-winning film has just started streaming and another is having its world premiere.

Dalton took time out preparing for the debut of American Cryptids at Savor Cinema in the Popcorn Frights Film Festival to discuss Big Easy Queens, a ﬁlm she shot locally which began streaming on Hulu this summer.

Wilton Manors stands in for the steamy, spooky underworld of New Orleans for the movie that began with Dalton meeting actor Eric Swanson aka Miss Bouvèé and screenwriter Robert Leleux.

“The first time I met Eric we were trying to figure out timeslots at the Foundry because we were both doing shows. As we were talking, I said, ‘By the way, you know, I do film as well, and he goes, ‘Oh my gosh. I have a screenplay.’ Next thing I know, we’re having dinner with Robert and they’re pitching me on Big Easy Queens.”

Only in Wilton Manors could the campy glam horror ﬁlm’s plot be considered dinner table conversation. Original musical numbers, voodoo, zombies and drag queens combine for pure queer glitter and blood horror as Mob

Queen of the Quarter Minnie Bouvèé reignites her rivalry with her arch-nemesis Poodles Makenzie while dealing with a creepy masked stalker and Mimi Bouvèé-Truvé, her estranged, man-stealing sister.

It would be the film debut for Swanson’s Minnie Bouvèé alter ego that has won local awards and recognition. The filmmakers wanted to cast a national drag celebrity for her sister and, in a roundabout way, they succeeded with Suzie Toot aka Benjamin Shaevitz. After the film wrapped, Suzie appeared on Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and won the Lip Sync LaLaPaRuZa Smackdown.

“Ben was a working local actor and we needed to do our ﬁrst reading for the script just to hear it out loud, ﬁnd our comedy moments and what's working, what's not working,” Dalton recalled. “We invited Ben to come read the role of Mimi, and we laughed the whole time. He was perfect.

“We had contacted a couple of celebrity drag queens for the role of Mimi and it just wasn't working out due to timing and budget. Eric called me and said he couldn’t get Ben out of his head - he was just so funny during the reading. I agreed and said if we can let go of the idea of having a celeb, I’d love to cast Ben. As it turns out, we ended up with our drag celeb for that role once Drag Race aired!”

The ﬁlm was shot in Wilton Manors in only 10 days and,

Photo Courtesy of Michael Johns

Photo Courtesy of Popcorn Frights

amazingly, the ﬁnancial backing came together almost as quickly.

“It started with Marc Martorana and Don D'Arminio, who are huge supporters of the artistic community in South Florida - they are always hosting fundraisers for local arts organizations - and they offered to host one to help us raise money for the movie,” she marveled. “They let us put on a New Orleans-themed fundraiser. There was a jazz band in their backyard, everybody dressed up and we had made posters of sketches of what the queens’ costumes would look like. We invited people from the community, gave them our pitch and raised the bulk of our budget in that one night. That’s such a rare thing to happen and it just really shows the closeness of the community that we have here.”

Full disclosure, OutClique® Publisher and Editor In Chief Dr. Steven O. Evans is one of the producers who stepped up, but he was not alone in helping get the movie made.

“Pub on the Drive was so gracious with their facility and let us shoot there at night and after closing,” Dalton recalled. “We had one scene with a huge crowd and they just let us have their crowd. We signed a million talent releases that night for anyone who wanted to be in the background. Tropics also let us ﬁlm for a night at the very end of their business hours and gave us the facility overnight. We rolled out of there when it was daylight. They were long hours, but we couldn’t have made the ﬁlm without The Pub and Tropics.”

Once Big Easy Queens was ready for distribution it began winning awards at ﬁlm festivals including Best Feature

(Queer Fear Film Festival), Best LGBTQ Feature (Orlando Independent Film Festival), Audience Award (Popcorn Frights Film Festival), Best Actor for Eric Swanson (Berlin Indie Film Festival) Best Actress for Jennifer McClain who performs Poodles Makenzie (Hong Kong Indie Film Festival) and Best Soundtrack (Venice Independent Film Festival).

“We were able to ride that Suzie Toot wave [after RuPaul’s Drag Race] and were approached by The Advocate, who was looking for LGBTQ programming for their Advocate Originals slate on Hulu,” Dalton said. “The Advocate has been a wonderful partner and helped open up some doors for distribution so people all over the U.S. can see the film. We're now getting a lot of requests from people throughout the world asking how they can see the film as Hulu isn’t available in many countries. Our next step is finding international distribution outlets for the movie.”

Dalton’s next horror feature, American Cryptids, will soon be on the film festival circuit and is the first of a planned trilogy. There is a possible Big Easy Queens sequel in the works, as well as a period drama called Fiddler’s Green that would find Miss Bouvèé and Suzie Toot in Paris before the WWII Nazi invasion.

“We have a great script for Fiddler’s Green, so we are really focused on getting that one produced,” Dalton said. “Given the current political climate, we feel passionately that the ﬁlm needs to get out into the world. We’ve been so fortunate to have Big Easy Queens ﬁnd a large fan base and we want to use that platform to create something that really needs to be seen right now.”

Courtesy

Photo

of Michael Johns

The Pride Center at Equality Park Founders Reception at Tower Club Ft Lauderdale

Photos

Big Season Starting for Island City Stage

By John Hayden

A child actress willing to kill for a role. An autistic gay man looking for love. A progressive community that may not be as progressive as they want to believe. These are just some of the intriguing stories being told in the new season at Island City Stage (ICS).

The ICS team has been working all summer and has ﬁve amazing shows lined up, which will bow over the next year. While that may seem like plenty of time to pace themselves, much of the work has already been completed.

“It’s been very busy,” Artistic Director Andy Rogow told OutClique. “We have to cast all ﬁve shows pretty much all at once and we have a lot of roles to cast. We spent about three months doing casting calls and call backs.”

And once the actors get on stage, they need something to wear. Their former fabric supplier left South Florida and since quality costumes for the stage aren’t found rummaging through the racks at a mall, they need to go elsewhere.

“We have two shows that are big costume shows,” Artistic Director Martin Childers said. “Our costume designer went to New York to go fabric shopping.”

Community Is A Class Act

Island City Stage has long been a ﬁxture on Dixie Hwy. and has paved the way for the area to become the arts and entertainment corridor it is today. With The Foundry Theater next door, Empire Stage down the street and

lots of arts galleries, the area is a cultural epicenter for small-to-midrange theater.

From Rogow’s perspective, the community beneﬁts from all the venues.

“My favorite thing is that it’s so active and keeps growing. We now have all these art galleries that have opened,” said Rogow. “I love that Dixie Hwy. is becoming this arts corridor. And people are patronizing all these organizations.”

But quality art is expensive and government grants across the country, and especially in Florida, have been drying up. While Childers continues to apply, he is very appreciative of local donors and organizations.

He knows how special this area is and knows what can happen without the love and support of a community. His previous theater company in eastern Kentucky closed due to lack of funding. While that makes him incredibly sad, he’s also incredibly grateful to be here.

“For me it was a great move. I’m happy to be here and be in the community,” he said.

Childers said the ICS community is tightly knit.

“A lot of our grant funders are still supporters and we’re grateful. When you come to individuals in our community they are supportive. We couldn’t do it without them,” said Childers.

“People tell me they feel like family here. They are supporting. That’s the kind of community we want to build. We want to do excellent theater but we also want to have people that become our friends because they support what we do. There is so much happening. We have great neighbors and businesses that help any way they can. We are fortunate to be here,” he said.

“You realize WM is a really unique area, and what we have here is not easily found elsewhere,” Rogow added.

Sneak Peek

With casting completed and costuming underway, Rogow is giving OutClique readers an inside look at the upcoming season.

Ruthless! The Musical Nov. 6-Dec.7, 2025

Book and Lyrics by Joel Paley

Music by Marvin Laird Tagline: She’s Cute.She’s Sweet. She’ll kill for the lead

“It’s a very campy, funny musical. It’s about an eight year old girl who’s willing to kill to get the lead in the school play,” said Rogow, who is also directing the play.

The show is based on the campy showbiz movies of the 1950s and was a huge success off-Broadway and one production starred a pre-Disney Britney Spears. ICS has been trying to produce the show since before pandemic and now it’s ﬁnally here.

The Little Foxe$ Jan. 8-Feb. 1, 2026

Book by Lillian Hellman Tagline: Greed runs in the family

“It’s the classic Lillian Hellman play,” Rogow said. “The movie starred Bette Davis. A lot of our audience will know this and have grown up with it. Our audience really loves these classic plays and our audience members are really excited.”

The story revolves around a very greedy family trying to build a cotton producing factory and how they manipulate each other and try to get their share of the money. It’s all about greed and family dynamics.

Everything Beautiful Happens At Night April 2-26, 2026

Book by Ted Malawer

Tagline: A story can change everything

“This is about a gay man who’s closeted who is an illustrator and writer of children's books. He writes a book that expresses who he is fully. It’s a beautiful story,” Rogow said.

Childers added, “I love this show. Near the end there’s something that happens that broke my heart and I love it.”

The show is set in the late 1980s and follows an author who brings his true self to light. Getting the show to ICS wasn’t easy. Rogow pursued the playwright until he gave permission to bring it to Wilton. This is only the second production of the show, following its debut in Sacramento.

Rogow says landing a new show requires trust between a writer and a theater company.

“It depends on how new the play is. Playwrights are also managing careers and want best exposure. But they also

want to make sure the right theaters are doing the play, that it’s getting the proper attention. Good cast, good director attached.”

Light Switch

May 21-June 14, 2026

Book by Dave Osmundsen

Tagline: What if the switch never ﬂips?

Light Switch tells the story an autistic gay man trying to ﬁnd love. Rogow says it’s the type of story that’s perfect for this company. “What’s a unique story to tell? What have we not heard before? What isn’t part of the tried and true tropes we see in theaters? This is a nobrainer.”

Finding this play was a happy accident of sorts. The show debuted in Chicago where one of ICS’s patrons was in the audience and saw the show in Chicago and went to the playwright himself. Like Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, this is only the second production of

the show. Rogow says the show has a beautiful ending and is “a great, great play.”

Eureka Day

Aug. 20-Sept. 13, 2026

Book by Jonathan Spector

Tagline: Outbreaks, outrage, and organic snacks

“This is the play I’m most excited about. It just won a Tony Award for best revival,” Rogow said. He will also be directing the production.

The show is set in Berkeley, California, which is known as one of the most liberal and progressive places in the world. But sometimes words don’t match deeds. After a mumps outbreak at a progressive, private school, the

debate on how to move forward, including if vaccinations should be required, becomes heated.

Rogow says there’s a great scene where parents are meeting on Zoom and the audience reads the comments as they ﬂash above the stage. After waiting years for the show to play on Broadway and in London, Rogow is excited to bring it to South Florida.

“It’s very moving and so relevant to what’s happening today. Even the most progressive people can get very nasty. When you try to be all inclusive, you’re still going to exclude somebody.”

You can learn more about the shows and get single show tickets or season passes by visiting IslandCityStage.org.

by Bryna Turner

Tired of the Bible Bullies

By Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.

I’m tired of social media crusades against same gender loving and gender expansive humans. I am especially tired of these same homo-hating and trans-loathing persons acting as if their cruelty is righteous and divinely ordained. These cyber bullies invariably use isolated, narrowly and viciously interpreted verses of scripture as their weapon of choice, ignoring entirely poems, parables, hymns, and exhortations lifting up kindness, grace, mercy, generosity, compassion, empathy, or hospitality.

The Bible says many things. What parts appeal to us most? Which words do we embrace as sacred and compelling?

What we think the Bible says has much more to do with us than any text found in the anthology of writings that we call the Bible.

If we are cruel, we’ll ﬁnd God to be cruel and we’ll understand the scriptures to demand cruelty.

If we are kind, compassionate, and caring, we’re likely to ﬁnd those same traits in the God we imagine and in the scriptures we choose to use in daily devotional life.

What you believe about God and scripture is your business, but I do urge you to refuse to let someone else’s hatefulness wrapped in bible verses cause you to devalue yourself.

The biblical message that I treasure and try to live by is simply this: God is Love. I will never settle for anything less life-giving than that, nor will I ever offer a theology less healing than that.

Bishop Durrell Watkins is the Senior Minister of Fort Lauderdale’s Sunshine Cathedral.

PITTENGER

“Partnering with the Community Foundation of Broward empowers me to make a BOLD impact for the community I love. As a longtime philanthropist and LGBTQ activist, my new endowed charitable funds at the Community Foundation are broadening the scope and amplifying the impact of my giving. Grants in my name develop future leaders, break down barriers to success and shape a community where everyone is treated with equity. I love that my endowed support is the gift that keeps on giving, long after I’m gone. With the Community Foundation as a partner, my BOLD impact never ends.”

Photo Courtesy of Bishop Durrell Watkins, D.Min.

culinary feast to benefit Heart Gallery of Broward County

Thursday, September 25

6 – 8:30 PM • Galleria Fort Lauderdale

Special Guest Host: Eric Yutzy, Local10NewsAnchor

Honoring Christine Frederick as the 2025 Child Advocate of the Year

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood • AquaPlex Ft Lauderdale

P.F. Chang’s • Sicilian Oven • Todd’s Catering Red Chair Catering • The Capital Grille Sweeter Days Bake Shop • Seasons 52

Tasteful Thoughts • Dom Caruso’s Cucina • Spice -n- Vybe Kaluz Restaurant • il Mulino • South Bar & Kitchen Gulf Stream Distillery • Andmore!

& BEVERAGE PARTNERS • Delicious

Morphine Love Dion Brings Miami Heat and Shakira Realness to “Werq the World”

By Denny Patterson

Straight from the sizzling streets of South Florida, RuPaul’s Drag Race sensation Morphine Love Dion is turning up the glam, the grit - and yes, the Shakira hips.

Famed for her ﬁerce runway presence, jaw-dropping stunts, and unapologetic attitude, Morphine is making her grand debut in Werq the World, the planet’s largest drag production. For the 2025 tour, an award show–inspired spectacle celebrating the power and pageantry of drag,

she steps into the role of ultimate Latin pop goddess, delivering electrifying performances and red-carpetworthy charisma night after night.

Werq the World kicked off August 15 and will hit major cities across the U.S. including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Fort Lauderdale. OutClique recently caught up with Morphine to chat more about her set and embodying Shakira, as well as her biggest takeaways

from Drag Race, representing South Florida magic on the global stage, and her advice to young queer artists.

Spoiler alert: the hips don’t lie!

Denny Patterson: Hi, Morphine! How excited are you to be involved with this year’s Werq the World tour?

Morphine Love Dion: I am over the moon! I have been touring and working non-stop since last year, and ever since I started doing drag, I’ve always wanted to be on Werq the World. The fact that I’m ﬁnally doing it as my favorite artists in the entire world is just insane.

Denny Patterson: Yes, you will be serving Shakira realness! How are you preparing to channel such an iconic performer, and can you give us a hint as to what fans can expect?

Morphine Love Dion: I’m a huge, huge fan of hers, and I used to do Shakira at brunch every weekend. I’m also one of the top Shakira personators of Miami, so I’m going to channel that same energy. I’m going to channel what I’ve learned from her performances, her vibes, her hips, her hair, and I have seven different Shakira outﬁts that I recreated, so you can expect Shakira all the way down. I’m so excited!

Denny Patterson: Is there anything you ultimately hope audiences take away from this show?

Morphine Love Dion: I want them to take away that celebrity impersonation has been a part of drag for years. It’s like an inﬁnity stone and a key aspect of drag. A lot of queens emulate themselves as someone else, so I feel like it’s important that we take it back to our roots.

Denny Patterson: You will be sharing the stage with some major Drag Race royalty on this tour including Sasha Velour, Jimbo, and Miss Vanjie. What is your favorite part about traveling and connecting with queens from previous seasons?

Morphine Love Dion: It's funny, because I was such a huge drag fan in high school, I only ever dreamed of meeting these queens. Now that I’m kiking and working with them, I’m so excited to have a good time, be hung over the next day, and complain about it with them all (laughs). It’s insane. Like, I saw Miss Vanjie on TV, and now we’re like best Judy’s. I love it.

Denny Patterson: Looking back at your time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, what’s the biggest lesson you took away from that experience?

Morphine Love Dion: I think the biggest lesson is how to present myself. Mama Ru has taught me a lot about stage and camera etiquette; I feel like not a lot of people know how to learn or teach, period. The biggest take away, honestly, is that you can be a professional and act stupid at the same time. Just let loose, and if a mistake happens, keep going. You act like it didn’t happen and just move forward. Don’t be afraid to have a good time and just act like a stupid fool. That’s the best advice I’ve gotten from Ru. If I fall off the stage, I’m going to get right back up.

Denny Patterson: How would you say being a proud Miami queen continues to inspire your art and drag persona?

Morphine Love Dion: You know, I have been offered to move to LA and Vegas, but there's just something about being home. My family and friends are here, so I feel like being in South Florida and watching the new generation of Miami queens blossom gives me inspiration to stay. I’d love to see Miami become like another New York or Chicago. Before, there were ﬁve New York queens in every season, and now we’re seeing at least 2-4 queens from Miami. Miami’s becoming a drag capital, and we have several more queer spaces. I feel like as the city continues to grow and evolve, it’s going to be a great place for queer people.

September 10

Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando

September 12

Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Ft Lauderdale

September 13

Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

September 14

Saenger Theatre, Pensacola

Photo credit: VossEvents.com

Evil Dead Rises in Coral Springs — With Songs, Splatter, and South Florida’s Own Alexander Zenoz

By Megan Fitzgerald

Chainsaws, demons, and a whole lot of fake blood — what more could you want in a night at the theater? South Florida native Alexander Zenoz is ready to hack, slash, and sing his way through Evil Dead The Musical at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, running September 12-20, 2025.. Expect a splatter zone, over-the-top laughs, and a night of camp that refuses to die. Zenoz sat down with OutClique to dish on the horror-comedy offering audiences a frighteningly good time.

You’re about to star in Evil Dead The Musical at the Coral

Springs Center for the Arts. What excites you most about bringing this cult classic to the stage?

"I think what excites me most is the opportunity to work on this one-of-a-kind project. It reminds me of Big Easy Queens in many ways, where you get a lot of these random acting opportunities and moments that are just so ridiculous and hilarious. There's deﬁnitely so much fun to have and things to play with that you don't get from your regular run-of-the-mill entertainment projects."

Fans of the show know it’s over-the-top, gory, and hilarious. How would you describe the experience audiences can expect?

"I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. They can expect all those things and then some. The beauty of it all is that it's live and all that camp is coming off the stage and meeting you in person as an audience member. And when I say 'meeting you off-stage' I literally mean meeting you offstage. The ﬁrst few rows of the audience will be considered a splatter zone, where audiences can 100% expect blood to splatter out and hit them in their seats. Like seeing Shamu at SeaWorld, but stickier."

You were recently featured in CAN Community Health’s Be Brave music video with Sara Bareilles’ song “Brave.” What did that project mean to you personally and artistically?

"I think this project was so rewarding and impactful for me personally. I own a production company called Promenthean Arts & Entertainment and I managed the whole project from concept to finish. I was really inspired by CAN and their mission, as well as the amazing team behind the organization. So I really wanted to imbue a sense of community on the project, which I definitely feel we accomplished. I also got to really delve into the work and lyrics that Sara Bareilles created for this song, which really found their way into my personal life and challenged even myself to be more brave and confident in my own life and art. Which meant so much to me after this past season of so much doubt and insecurity in this world. Sara Bareilles was even moved and so kind to give back by waiving her rights and fees on the song for the campaign."

Many people also remember you from Big Easy Queens. How do you approach moving between ﬁlm, music videos, and live theater?

"I think I have an overly creative mind, and I tend to not be able to sit in anything or anywhere for too long. So jumping from project to project tends to come naturally, and can really keep my palate satiated and my mind stimulated."

Let’s rewind a bit — how did you ﬁrst get started in music and performing? Was there a moment when you knew this was the path you wanted to follow?

"I've always loved singing. I grew up with extremely talented

siblings and was always inspired and motivated by their creativity, but I always felt singing was my own thing I owned in that respect. I remember I used to throw on the Backstreet Boys Millennium album and put on the biggest shows for my family during the holidays — coercing my other cousins to join me in the whole scheme as well. I've always found myself coming back to music in that way. It wasn't until high school, where I joined the musical theatre program, when I realized I could do this for a living. My desire to fulﬁll those artistic outlets eventually found its way back to music and singing later in my career, where I wanted to focus on my musicianship and my original music, in relation to my band called Alexander & The Birds of Paradise, as well as my own original album coming out later this year called Bird's Eye View."

What drew you to performing in South Florida, and what do you love most about being part of the local arts scene here?

"Well, I'm a South Florida native. I was born and raised in Miami, FL. I came from a ﬁnancially underprivileged family and didn't entirely have the means to move out of state to pursue my art at ﬁrst. I would eventually book summer stock contracts out of state and ship contracts as a featured singer and guest artist later in life that gave me the opportunities to explore the world.I eventually came back to South Florida because I wanted to share my art and all the things I learned in the outside world with the community that helped make me. I've fallen so deeply in love with all the people who've made this place home for me, and I can't imagine ever staying away from them for too long."

Finally, for people who’ve never seen Evil Dead The Musical before, why is this the show they won’t want to miss?

"I would simply say they shouldn't miss this, because you're not gonna get the chance to see anything like this anywhere else in South Florida, or at least for a very long time. This is one of those one-of-a-kind shows that's an absolute gem. There's a reason it's won over so many from the original cult classic ﬁlms, as well as attracted musical theatre fanatics from across the globe. It's something so many different types of people can ﬁnd fun and amusement in. Even if you're new to the cult or have never seen the movies, it'll easily make an instant fan out of you and ingrain itself as one of your top most memorable shows you'll ever see." September 12-20, 2025

Editor’s

Author: Megan Fitzgerald, PhD, Associate Professor

Photo Courtesy of Tommy Chung

Eytan Deray Big Voice, Bigger Heart

By John Hayden

From amateur singers to professional performers, their successes all have one thing in common: passion.

Eytan Deray is a shining example of that passion. He represents what local talent and local theater should be.

““We need joy. There is so much joy in our regional theater. I’m very proud,” he told OutClique.

He started hanging out around Wilton Manors when he turned 21 and moved here after pandemic. Music helped him ﬁnd his place in the community.

“It was hard to meet people organically and then I realized how huge the piano bar and music scene is here. It’s like a hidden gem,” he said.

Now he’s a regular up and down Wilton Drive, which is rife with opportunities to perform. From Pub On the Drive to West End Lounge to Spencers, Hunters and more, there are so many places to catch local artists.

He recently appeared at Holy Cross Health’s 25 year celebration at Hunters alongside Broadway star Nick Adams.

Deray says he never expected this when he moved here.

“We need that. People think New York is the end all be

all. But we have to show some love to regional theater. This is bigger than anything I ever anticipated,” he said.

The love of music came at an early age. His mom is from the Bronx and introduced him to musical theater and his dad is Israeli and exposed him to eighties hairrock bands like Van Halen. And, of course, there were Disney movies including The Lion King , Aladdin , and more.

“When I saw West Side Story I understood that they were singing and using songs to move the story forward,” he said.

He is also a big horror fan. He runs the Facebook group Wilton Manors Horror Hunks, Scream Queens and Occult Non Conforming. For Deray, it’s all part of ﬁnding your place and ﬁnding your joy.

“You can struggle to ﬁnd your people. It’s important to lean on each other and say I love you more. We don’t do it enough,” he said.

Photo Credit: Dennis Dean

Key West Bear Weekend

Get Ready for Fur, Fun, and Florida Sunshine October 29 - November 2, 2025

By Chandler Scott

As fall approaches to cool down the summer, things are heating up in paradise. Key West Bear Weekend returns October 29 to November 2, 2025, inviting bears, cubs, otters, admirers, and allies to soak up ﬁve days of sundrenched celebration in one of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive destinations in the world.

Equal parts laid-back vacation and vibrant community gathering, this tropical event blends poolside parties, island adventures, and unforgettable nightlife with a warm, welcoming vibe that makes everyone feel at home. I had the pleasure of chatting with Robin Gray, one of the masterminds behind the weekend, to talk about the origin story, what’s new for 2025, and why this Key West tradition is more than just a party… It's a movement.

Chandler: For those new to the event, can you share the origin story of Key West Bear Weekend and how it’s evolved over the years?

Robin Gray: Key West Bear Weekend began in 2017

with an invite by Jeff Smead at Island House Resort. We had been working with Jeff and Island House through our publication Bear World Magazine, and in a meeting with him he asked if we’d consider starting a bear weekend in Key West. We leapt at the opportunity and invited our friend Shane Tate on board to help guide the development and running of the weekend as he had been a very successful bear event organizer and promoter in New York City, running various bear nights as well as the new Fire Island Bear Weekend.

The ﬁrst event in 2017 saw us having to run the event a mere 6 weeks after Hurricane Irma had ripped through the Keys, causing a huge amount of devastation. But the community rallied and the attendees were thrilled to be able to come and celebrate with us.

Over the years, the numbers steadily grew up to the pandemic where we had to put the event on hold for two years to keep our community safe. Following that, regular

attendees and newbies loved being able to get back to Key West and we’ve been growing steadily again ever since.

Chandler: What makes Key West the perfect destination for a bear weekend and how does the city embrace the event?

Robin Gray: Key West is a slice of Caribbean paradise where everyone can party in the crystal clear waters and tropical climate without having to leave the US. The island is closer to Cuba than it is the mainland and operates with such a relaxed vibe. When you arrive on the island you can feel all your worries and stresses just disappear as the pace of life slows down and the frozen cocktails feel so good enjoyed in a pool!

Key West is widely recognized as a welcoming and inclusive destination for LGBTQ+ travelers, known for its vibrant gay scene and rich history. It's a place where people feel comfortable being themselves and where diversity is celebrated, with the city’s motto One Human Family being testament to that.

The wide variety of LGBTQ+ bars, restaurants and hotels have all rallied behind Key West Bear Weekend as they really value the bear community and the way we respectfully engage with our hosts, as well as being the part of the LGBTQ+ community who eats and drinks a lot while we vacation!

Chandler: What can attendees expect from the 2025 Key West Bear Weekend? Any new venues, parties, or surprises on the horizon?

Robin Gray: Every year we try to add something new to the schedule while also maintaining some of the regular events that people have come to know and love.

We have a new party this year we’re calling our Jocktober party held at the famous Bourbon St Pub on Duval Street. In the warm sweaty Key West nights, there’s nothing better than being able to drink and dance in just a jock, so we’re fully embracing that with this party where it’s strictly jockstraps only! Plus, we’ve added in a new fun feature that will please the underwear kinksters amongst us all with the used jock swap service. This will see our host, Puddin’ Tain, and our sexy gogo bear, Ner, help the bears trade their jockstraps with other willing participants. Let the fur ﬂy!

Chandler: How do you balance the mix of social events, nightlife, and daytime activities to cater to both newcomers and longtime attendees?

Robin Gray: People are attracted to Key West Bear Weekend because we’ve established our event as being a more chilled out alternative to some other bear weekends. It’s also got a great reputation as one of the friendliest too. We have smaller numbers so it's a less intense option for those who are seeking to relax and meet some new friends in a chilled out environment. So while we’re always

keen to make sure people have hot nights, we make sure that our daytime activities are less intense and people have time to truly enjoy their vacation time with us.

We always throw in one daytime activity that acts as a welcome event to Key West too, so if you’re new there’s a way to get out and explore the island. A couple of years ago it was a key lime pie crawl where attendees got to taste the famous key lime pie in a variety of destinations, but this year it’s a rum and cigar tasting trip where we head to two venues in the Old Town to explore how Caribbean rum and cigars are made.

There’s also an element of self-guided exploration that is encouraged too. Key West is a small island that's very easy to navigate on foot, by bike, by cab or even via the loop bus that links a lot of major destinations. Our Key West Bear Weekend All Access Pass offers discounts at local bars, restaurants and shops across all ﬁve days so people can get out and explore these great places in their own time and with a budget in mind.

Chandler: Can you tell us more about this year’s theme or overall vibe and what kind of experiences guests can look forward to?

Robin Gray: One of the fun things about Key West Bear Weekend is that we usually sit across Halloween somewhere within our ﬁve day schedule, so that is a big vibe for some of the weekend. This year, Halloween is on Friday which is our fetish and gear night at Saloon 1, so we’re having a Halloween gear party! Think butch leather daddy grim reapers and ghosts in harnesses!

But, overall, Key West itself brings the vibe… that chilled

out feeling that the island has and is so unique to Key West with the friendly locals and relaxed environment, that is the vibe that we embrace wholeheartedly.

Chandler: Are there any charitable or community-focused elements tied into the weekend that you'd like to highlight?

Robin Gray: Yes, our Saturday night party is always a charity ball which supports the local LGBTQ+ nonproﬁt Queer Keys with their vitally important work. This year’s theme is Pirates of Men’s Pants, which as you can imagine is pirate-themed! The Keys are famous for their pirate history with Blackbeard himself known to plunder ships around the Keys as they sat on important shipping routes back in the day. The area is also home to a lot of treacherous waters which has led to a number of shipwrecks and there’s a variety of museums and attractions about pirates. So we invite everyone to grab their poppers of eight and come along to plunder each other’s booty as we raise money for Queer Keys with a donation from every cover charge.

Chandler: What advice do you have for ﬁrst-time attendees who might feel nervous or unsure about joining a bear weekend?

Robin Gray: We have a reputation for being one of the friendliest bear weekends in the world, and for good reason. Our smaller numbers make this weekend so much easier for people who maybe struggle with larger crowds and also really helps in developing meaningful friendships. Our host hotel, Island House Resort, is world renowned, not only for its facilities and food & drink, but also for the friendliness of their staff. Jeff and James have curated a resort where everyone is made to feel welcome and you can engage in as much or as little as you want.

The resort is clothing optional and there is the famous Red Room playspace, but do you HAVE to be naked and play all the time? NO! There are many of our attendees who just want to enjoy being amongst their own community and chilling out around the pool with the award winning food and cocktails!

Chandler: You’ve also recently launched a second bear event in Key West in the Spring, why did you want to launch something new?

Robin Gray: Key West Bear Weekend has the friendly and chilled reputation down. Yes, our evenings do have a sexy edge to them, but it’s a lot of friendly fun ﬁrst and foremost. However, we felt like there was an opportunity to embrace a bit more of the frisky fun that Key West is also known for. There are many other events in Key West catering to other parts of the community where sex and kink are front and center, so why can’t the bears have some of that too?! That’s where WOOF Week comes in!

WOOF Week was originally a concept driven by Island House in 2024 and given our huge success with Key West Bear Weekend, they invited us to collaborate from 2025 onwards, and we were very happy to accept!

WOOF Week includes hanky parties, sex parties, naked nights, pornstar hosts and a headline party with a major international DJ, so if you’re more inclined towards that level of fun and furry hedonism, then look out for the info on WOOF Week 2026 (April 21 - 26) dropping later this year.

Get your rooms booked at Island House as they sell out fast! Plus, our super early bird passes for WOOF Week are currently on sale at the cheapest price they will ever be, so if you want to come and have some sexy, furry fun in paradise with pornstars and international DJs, visit www.tickettailor.com/events/grayjonesmedialtd

Chandler: As you look toward the future, how do you envision Key West Bear Weekend and WOOF Week continuing to grow or evolve in the coming years?

Robin Gray: We have the ambition to grow these events in scale so as many bears as possible can come and explore what the beautiful Key West has to offer. We also will continue to expand how we work with local hotels, shops, restaurants and bars so they too will ﬁnancially beneﬁt from this increase in numbers to the island. We’ve been passionate from year one that we want to make sure

that everyone is encouraged to get out around the island and make the most of the thriving local business scene, which is why wristband passes for both events afford people discounts at local shops, restaurants and bars.

We are already starting to onboard new hotel partners for both events which will lead to a much bigger capacity for the event and, of course, the new concourse at Key West airport has opened which will lead to new ﬂight routes opening up into Key West providing direct and cheaper ﬂight options.

Bigger numbers, bigger schedule, more diversity of events, greater involvement with our local friends and businesses, and more beary bums in hotels! That’s the way we intend to grow, but all the while ensuring we don’t lose our friendly, welcoming and inclusive identity.

Chandler: Lastly, how do people keep up with all the latest news about Key West Bear Weekend and WOOF Week?

You can follow us on social media, we’re on Facebook @Key West Bears, Instagram @keywestbears, and BlueSky ‪@keywestbears - here’s our Linktree: https:// linktr.ee/keywestbears

For Key West Bear Weekend, head to KeyWestBearWeekend.com for all the info, and you can

WOOF Week has a new landing page dropping later this year with the exciting schedule for the 2026 event.

Chandler: Robin, thank you so much for taking the time to enlighten me and our readers about Key West Bear Weekend and what’s to come!

Whether you're drawn by the sunshine, the sexy fun, the sense of community or all of the above, Key West Bear Weekend is the ultimate escape for anyone craving connection, celebration, and a little fur in the Florida heat. With fresh parties, island ﬂavor, and inclusive energy at every turn, the 2025 edition is shaping up to be the biggest (and beariest) yet.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of it. For tickets, accommodations, and event details, visit KeyWestBearWeekend.com and follow @keywestbears on social media. For even more wild adventures, keep an eye out for WOOF Week in April 2026.

Pack your sass, your jockstraps, and your sense of adventure, Key West Bear Weekend is more than calling… it’s roaring.

Photos Courtesy of Tristan Sutphin

Queer Author Discusses Her Latest Book On Christianity and Racism

By Bryce Johnson

Regina Cates published her latest book, The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have: A Call to Bravery, Peace, and Love, in March 2025. Throughout the novel, Cates dissects Christianity and seeks to explain the true meaning behind the religion.

Cates published her ﬁrst novel, Lead With Your Heart: Creating a Life of Love, Compassion, and Purpose, in 2014. Cates is also the founder of Romancing Your Soul, an organization that is designed to help people connect with their spiritual sides.

Question: In your own words, what is The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have: A Call to Bravery, Peace, and Love about?

Answer: It has been reviewed as a blueprint to repair humanity. And I do not consider myself Christian, but what I have done is taken this historical ﬁgure that was used as the basis to create the religion of Christianity, and used him as a benchmark to ask questions. Why do we still have misogyny? Why do we have racism, bigotry and prejudice? There’s a chapter in my book, and I think it’s the most powerful, called Racism, It’s Time for Our Come-to-Jesus Moment. I have perspectives of four of my friends of color because as a white woman, I do not know what it is like to be a person with dark skin. I also talk about how Jesus did not have a white skin. He was not blue-eyed, blonde or Christian. So it is a social commentary. It is a call to action and it is scathing about the religion that has been bastardized.

Q: How did your upbringing inﬂuence your writing in this book?

A: This is my second book, and I have known that I'm queer, gay, lesbian, whatever you want to call it, from the age of about 4 and a half. Being raised in the southern part of the United States in the 1960s, I had to sit in this particular institutionalized religious box and was told that I was horrible and going to hell. There's stories in the book about how these people describe forever and how I was going to burn in there forever. I think that as a person who is not in the ministry, as a layperson and as a storyteller, I am able to capture the story of millions and millions and millions of us. And I just do it through my own lens. I put it on paper as a cathartic exercise

for me, but also as a blueprint to help repair humanity and also to strengthen the hearts of all of those people that have been marginalized. All of those people that have been thrown out of this particular religion. And it's happening more and more today. Look what's happening with this government. It's been taken over by crazy folks.

Q: Were those like factors that made you decide that now is the right time to publish the book?

A: I do believe in a power greater than myself, and that power greater than myself made this the right time, because I wanted it long before the election. I wanted it long before any of this. It takes a long time to get a book published and Erdmans is a very well known publisher. I think that now is the right time because you're starting to hear about the things that I have been talking about for a long time through my work with Romancing Your Soul, through my ﬁrst book. Now is the perfect time, because we're starting to really want to hear about this and how far these people have gone into crazy land, because they've gone way off the deep end in the name of Jesus.

Q: What was the most memorable part of writing The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have?

A: I think the most moving part for me is when I can write a story that continues to make me cry, because it touches me, and I'm the author and it happened to me. When I get feedback from readers who say, this whole book made me cry because I relate to it, that's the exciting part to me, is that my heart touches other people's hearts. That's the reason I do this.

The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have is available for purchase on Amazon. For more information, visit Cates’s website at www.reginavcates.com.

Photo courtesy of www.reginavcates.com

Carbonell Awards Names Michel Hausmann as Winner of this Year’s Vinnette Carroll Award

Gary Schweikhart, board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, today announced the recipient of the second of seven prestigious Special Awards that will be presented at the Carbonell Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 7:30 pm at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton.

“While we will be honoring in 20 competitive categories speciﬁc theatre performances, production elements, and shows presented between September 2024 and August 2025, the Carbonell board of directors has unanimously voted to also bestow the following Special Award,” said Schweikhart.

The Vinnette Carroll Award

For significant achievement in advancing the cause of diversity, equality, and inclusion in South Florida theater.

Michel Hausmann

Michel Hausmann is Co-founder and Artistic Director of Miami New Drama, the largest bilingual theater company in the country and resident and operator of the historic Colony Theatre on Miami Beach. Under his leadership, the award-winning venue has premiered over 20 original plays and musicals, establishing itself as a leading force in the development of new work for the American stage. Notable productions include A Wonderful World (Broadway transfer, Tony Award Nomination), Seven Deadly Sins (Director / Drama League Award Winner), Birthright, Bad Dog (also Director), Lincoln Road Hustle (also Director), Las Aventuras de Juan Planchard (a coproduction with Tectonic Theater Project), Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy (also Director), ¡Viva La Parranda!, Papa Cuatro, The Cubans, The Museum Plays (also Director), Fake, When Monica Met Hillary, Gente Ociosa (also Director), Queen of Basel (also Director), and a landmark multilingual production of Our Town (also

Director). Accolades for the Venezuelan-born theater director, producer, and writer include the Thornton Wilder Prize, a New York Theatre Workshop 2050 Fellowship, three Knight Arts Challenge Awards, an IRNE nomination, multiple Silver Palm Awards, and a Richard Rodgers Award ﬁnalist distinction.

In the nomination submitted for this award, Hausmann was praised for “diligently and passionately (giving) voice to BIPOC artists and artisans” and for successfully “presenting multi-language productions and multicultural programming (that offer) voice and vision for not only South Florida but for the country.”

The Vinnette Carroll Award is named after the legendary playwright, actress, and theater director who was the ﬁrst African American woman to direct on Broadway and the ﬁrst to receive a Tony Award nomination for directing, before moving to South Florida in the 1980s where she founded the Vinnette Carroll Repertory Company.

Previous Winners of The Vinnette Carroll Award: Director, actor, and college educator John Pryor (2024); Christie Alexander & Katie Christie for leading the South Florida Theatre League's AntiRacism Theatre Strategies Cohorts (2023); and Marshall L. Davis (2022), managing director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (AHCAC) in Miami’s Liberty City, a venue that has since been renamed in his honor.

Content Courtesy of Gary Schweikhart | Photo Credit: FURIOSA Productions

Photo by Israel Zavaleta Escobedo

Ruiz

By Lillian Hellman

By Ted Malawer

By Dave Osmundsen

Book and Lyrics by Joel Paley Music by Marvin Laird

By Jonathan Spector

3/10

Masterworks IV

3/11 Masterworks IV

3/14

Masterworks IV

March - August 2026

South Florida Symphony Orchestra

New World Center

South Florida Symphony Orchestra / The Parker

South Florida Symphony Orchestra

Tennessee Williams Theatre

3/17-3/22 Moulin Rouge! The Musical Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

3/19

3/20

3/21

3/22

Seraphic Fire: Candlelight Moorings Presbyterian, Naples

Seraphic Fire: Candlelight St. Philip's Episcopal, Coral Gables

Seraphic Fire: Candlelight All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Seraphic Fire: Candlelight

St. Gregory's Episcopal, Boca Raton

3/22, 3/24 Haydn: The Creation Symphony of the Americas Broward Center for the Performing Arts

4/2 - 5/3 Light Switch Island City Stage

4/7-4/12 A Beautiful Noise Kravis Center

4/8 Masterworks V

4/9

4/10

4/11

4/12

Seraphic Fire: Surround Sound

South Florida Symphony Orchestra / The Parker

St. Gregory's Episcopal, Boca Raton

Church of The Little Flower, Coral Gables

Seraphic Fire: Surround Sound All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Seraphic Fire: Surround Sound

Miami Beach Community Church, Miami Beach

4/25-5/3 The Notebook The Musical Kravis Center

4/28 Pass The Baton: National Collegiate Conducting Competition Symphony of the Americas / Broward Center for the Performing Arts

5/5-5/10 The Notebook: The Musical Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

5/8 - 6/21 Everything Beautiful Happens at Night Island City Stage

5/10, 5/12 It Takes Two: Our Journey to Broadway

Symphony of the Americas / Broward Center for the Performing Arts

6/4-6/8 Gay Days 35th Anniversary Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at Seaworld

6/9-6/14 The Book of Mormon Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

7/3-7/6 4th July Weekend Beach Ball

8/20-9/20 Eureka Day

Bourbon St Pub / New Orleans House Key West, FL

Island City Stage

Daily PrEP • Injectable PrEP (bi-monthly or bi-annual)

DoxyPEP for STI protection